We Could Still Belong Together
by Beckie Gloom
Summary: [Challenge fic] Michael comes back, begging for Will forgiveness. Will, predictably, gives him a second chance. Can Jack stop Will before he makes the biggest mistake of his life? WillJack.
1. Chapter 1

**Challenge: **_Michael comes back, begging for Will forgiveness. Will, predictably, gives him a second chance. What will Jack have to say about this? Can he stop Will before he makes the biggest mistake of his life?_

**Disclaimer: **If I owned, Will and Jack would be married by now. But they're not, so I guess I don't.

Chapter One

"Whatever it is you want, you'll have to buy it for yourself," Will said when he answered the phone. "I'm already paying for your dinner tonight, so don't think you can guilt me out of any more money for at least a week."

"Um… Hi, Will." The voice was familiar, but not the one he'd expected. In fact, he'd probably have been less surprised if George W had dropped by his office and invited him and his boyfriend round for drinks.

"Michael?" Will asked.

"Of course. Who did you think it was?"

"I assumed it must be Jack. Who else would I tell off for being such a drain on my finances?"

Michael laughed. "I guess you're right," he said. "Hey, I was just wondering – are you free for dinner this evening? I know it seems kind of sudden but there's something important that I need to… Wait, of course you're not free tonight, you just said… Sorry. I'm kind of mixed up right now."

"Well…" Will paused. It would be good to see Michael again – after all, it had been almost five years since they last spoke. And he and Jack saw each other every day anyway, even if it was just a brief conversation in the hallway that separated their two apartments. "… If it's really that important I'm sure Jack won't mind."

"Great! Meet me at the Olive Garden at seven, okay?"

Will grimaced. He hated the Olive Garden. But after seven years apart Michael had probably forgotten that. "Sounds fine," he replied. "Hey – do I at least get a hint about what this important thing you need to tell me is?"

"Ah… I'd rather tell you in person," Michael answered. "Remember – Olive Garden at seven."

"Olive Garden at seven," Will confirmed. "Got it. See you then."

"'Kay. Bye, Will."

"Goodbye." He placed the phone back in its cradle and almost went back to work when he remembered Jack. Sighing, he picked up the phone again and dialled Jack's office number from memory.

"J.P. McFarland, Head of Program Quality Assurance at Out TV."

"Oh, you have _quality _programs now?"

"Oh," Jack said, less enthusiastically. "It's you."

"Well observed," Will replied sarcastically.

"So what do you want? I'm a busy man."

"Yeah, I'm sure it's difficult to dry your nails and braid your hair at the same time."

"Shut up, Will."

"I thought you wanted to know why I called."

"Fine – shut up about everything _except_ why you called," Jack amended. "Smart-ass," he added.

"At least the word 'smart' can be applied to me," Will retorted. "Unlike some people I could mention."

"Will, are you going to keep insulting me or are you going to finally tell me why you called?"

Good question. "Okay," Will said after a moment's consideration, "I called to tell you that I can't make it to dinner tonight."

There was silence on the other end of the line for a few seconds. Then Jack spoke. "Oh. Okay."

_That's it? We haven't even said more than a dozen words to each other in the past week and when I bail on our first girls' night in over two months all I get is an _oh, okay_? Is this what it's come to?_

"Sorry," Will said, "Something came up."

"Oh," Jack said again. "What?"

Will decided not to let Jack know just yet. If he found out he would probably be full of questions – namely, if Michael was looking for someone with whom to spend an unforgettable no-strings-attached weekend. After almost eighteen years, Will knew how his friend worked.

"Work-related," Will said, "You wouldn't understand even if I told you."

"Yeah," Jack said, sounding hurt, "'Cause _that's _not a lie."

"It's not," Will said. _I was _at_ work when Michael called. That's work related – sort of_.

"Fine," Jack responded, "A half-truth at best. Maybe just a quarter-truth. Most likely an eighth-truth."

"Would you quit that?" Will asked irritably.

Jack quit it.

Neither said anything for a few moments. Will gave in first. "Sorry I can't make it," he said. "We'll go out at the weekend, okay?"

"I can't make this weekend," Jack responded, "Karen and I have a thing. How 'bout next Wednesday?"

"Wednesday's no good for me," Will said. "It's the anniversary of Grace and Leo's first kiss. I need to sit at home with her and help her cut his face out of photographs."

"Never mind," Jack replied. "We'll work something out nearer the time, okay?"

_Okay? This is not _okay_! When did we become the least important people in each other's lives? We've been best friends for nearly twenty years and suddenly you can't even manage two consecutive hours a month with me without 'a thing with Karen' coming up?_

"Okay."

They hung up.

_TBC..._


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: **I wish!

Chapter Two

The Olive Garden. Seven p.m. sharp. Will smiled when he saw the familiar form stepping out of a nearby taxi just as his own drove away. He was remembering something Jack had said once – something about how Will and Michael were both 'real bitches' for punctuality. And it was true. Had they always been so alike, so in tune with each other? Will rather thought they had.

Michael turned around and met Will's eyes, as if he'd known he was there from the moment the cab pulled up. He smiled his cool, confident smile, and Will was reminded of the way he used to feel about this man.

"Hi, Will," Michael said, and his cool grin became a little shy. "It's good to see you again."

"Yeah," Will agreed. Quickly, without really knowing what he was doing, he kissed Michael's cheek. He expected Michael to look confused or angry – but the other man's smile was sunnier than ever.

"C'mon," he said, "Let's go find our table."

Twenty minutes later, after they had been seated and had ordered their meals, Will thought the suspense was going to kill him, or at least make him behave in a way that would probably result in six months' involuntary commitment. He was on the verge of asking Michael what the important matter he had spoken of on the phone actually was. As usual, Michael beat him to the mark.

"Will," he said, "Remember on the phone I said there was something important I wanted to talk to you about tonight?"

Will nodded, and sipped his wine in an attempt to hide the fact that it was all he had thought about since their earlier conversation.

Michael looked down at his hands, as if unsure as to how he was going to continue. Eventually, he said, "Remember when we broke up?"

Whatever Will had been expecting, it wasn't that. Trying to sound cool and calm, he said, "Do you really think it's the kind of thing I'm likely to forget?"

Michael lowered his head. He looked like a small child being reprimanded. "I know," he muttered. "I treated you unfairly. I made some accusations that were mostly groundless paranoia on my part – "

Will, remembering the nature of those accusations, nodded in agreement.

" – When really you'd never done anything but be a wonderful partner to me. And the other day I was sitting alone in my apartment watching a movie and I suddenly realised," Michael paused.

"What?" Will asked, after it became apparent that Michael wouldn't go on until he'd said something.

"I realised that I haven't had one real relationship since I left you," Michael said. "And I got to wondering if you had."

Will was about to say that he'd had no less than three, but then stopped to think about it for a moment. There had been Matt – that had lasted what, all of five weeks? Barry – who'd dated Jack and Will at the same time and been out of both of their lives within two months. He _had _been with Vince for half a year… But look how quickly that had gone from an exciting, romantic relationship to one that Will had been desperate to get out of.

"Define 'real'," he said eventually.

"You see what I mean?" Michael asked. "Will – I spent seven years of my life with you, and I've lived the same amount of time again without you. And I sure know which I liked best."

To Will everything felt suddenly surreal. "Are you asking me to take you back?" he asked uncertainly.

"No," Michael said, "I'm not asking. I'm _begging _you."

Will looked down at his own hands and realised he was twisting a paper napkin back and forth until the lint started to flake and crumble. He ordered his restless hands to stay still and stop betraying his agitation.

"Will," Michael said softly, when it became obvious that Will couldn't think of a reply, "Have you ever thought that maybe there's a reason we can't make it work with anyone but each other? Like, maybe it's just meant to be between us?"

Will closed his eyes briefly, trying to clear his head. He knew that what Michael was saying was all over-romanticised Hollywood nonsense, but the idea of giving things a second try with the man who'd given him the longest relationship in his life just seemed like such a _good _idea…

He opened his eyes quickly. Michael was looking worriedly at him and – were his eyes a little watery? Will thought so.

"What movie could you possibly have been watching to bring all this on?" Will asked, for lack of something better to say to express his feelings.

"_When Harry Met Sally_," Michael replied, smiling in spite of the tears in his eyes. "Watching all those old couples, telling the stories of how they met and then were separated but just kept coming back to the same place because that was how it was destined to be for them… And I know we're both sensible guys, we're not into horoscopes or fate or any of that mystical crap, but then I realised…" he paused mid-sentence in this dramatic speech, blinking back tears and looking uncannily like Billy Crystal in the dim atmospheric lighting, "I realised that I'd just turned on the TV to some random channel which just happened to be showing _that _movie," he said.

Will nodded. He had the odd feeling that Michael had intended this to be some kind of revelation which had been completely lost on him, but he didn't want to spoil the moment.

"All the movies it could have been showing," Michael murmured, "And it was your favourite." A single tear, perfectly timed with the end of his monologue, escaped his brimming right eye.

Will, his decision made for him, picked up the remains of his napkin and dabbed tenderly at Michael's face. "It's okay, honey," he whispered, dropping the now-useless tatters of tissue to the tablecloth and taking Michael's hand.

Michael sniffed and smiled weakly. "So… I take it you're giving me a second chance?" he asked hopefully.

"Hey," Will grinned, "It's still easier than teaching someone new my laundry rotation system."

They both laughed.

"Just – no more suspicions, okay?" Will asked.

"Of course not," Michael replied earnestly. He lifted Will's hand and kissed it, before looking at the other man quizzically. "Am I allowed – ?"

"Yeah," Will said. "You're allowed."

Michael smiled and leaned across the table, kissing Will fully on the lips.

Will kissed him back, so touched by Michael's unabashed displays of emotion that he didn't have the heart to remind him that his favourite movie was, in fact, _Pretty Woman_.


	3. Chapter 3

**_Disclaimer: _**Don't own. Don't sue.

Chapter Three

Will didn't get back to his apartment until almost ten a.m. the next day. As soon as he stepped through the door it hit him that he'd barely changed any aspect of the décor since Michael had moved out. He wondered if, at some subconscious level, he'd always been awaiting the reunion which had at last come to pass.

When he'd left, Michael had still been asleep. Will knew that he should that he should probably make himself breakfast before it was time for lunch, but first of all he wanted to change his clothes. Apart from the time he'd spent at Michael's apartment (for most of which he hadn't been wearing much at all) he'd been in the same outfit for over a day. Michael would have understood the threats the situation posed to the laundry cycle.

He opened the door to his bedroom and let out an involuntary scream (which anyone listening might have more aptly deemed a 'squeal') of surprise.

The object of his consternation stirred irritably. "Shut up. 'M asleep."

"I can see that," Will replied, quickly regaining his composure. "What I want to know is why you're asleep here and not in your own apartment. Or at least," he amended, "The apartment of some guy you met at Boy Barn last night."

Jack propped himself up on one elbow so that he was half-sitting. "What time is it?" he asked.

"Why are you here?" Will countered.

"Waiting for you to get back from your meeting, for lack of a better term for whatever it was you were _really _up to," Jack replied. "I figured we could maybe try to salvage the evening a little."

Will's anger immediately became deep guilt. "It's five past ten," he offered lamely. What on earth had made him snap like that? After all, it wasn't like it was the first time Jack had chosen to sleep over unannounced.

Jack was grinning. "Well, I see you've carried on your tradition of painting the town red. Staying out till ten! She's a rebel, ladies and gentlemen," he commented to the invisible audience who always seemed to be following him (or at least his ego) around.

"In the morning," Will added.

Jack's eyes widened. "Reese Witherspoon Phillipe, what happened to your three-date rule?" He thought for a moment. "Or have you seen this guy before and just omitted to tell me?"

That was an interesting question. "Somewhere in-between," Will replied. Still feeling guilty about standing Jack up (even though he hadn't known he was doing so at the time) he added, "How about I tell you over breakfast?"

"Sounds like a plan," Jack responded, brightening at the prospect of a meal he wasn't expected to prepare. "I'll have – "

"Cappuccino, oatmeal with strawberries – _fresh _strawberries," he added, before Jack could correct him, "And a regular bagel with reduced fat cheese. Do you really think I don't know you by now?"

"So quit holding out on me," Jack demanded fifteen minutes later. "Tell me everything."

Everything? That was a pretty tall order. He already knew most of it, and the rest was going to be difficult to explain.

"Well, I've known him for a while – "

"Stalling!"

"So what if I am?" Will replied, suddenly wondering if it was such a good idea to let Jack know right then.

"So I want to know what it is about this guy that you don't want me to find out." Jack paused. "Is he a convict?"

"No."

"A drag queen?"

"No!"

"A _woman_?"

"_Hell_, no!"

"So what is he?"

"He's…" Well, there weren't many things left that he _could _be, since Jack had already exhausted most of the possibilities. Will decided not to put it off any longer. After all, it wasn't as if he was ashamed, was it? "He's… Michael."

From the look on Jack's face, it was obvious that he'd drawn a blank. "Michael…" he mused aloud. "Don't tell me! I know this…" He frowned, deep in concentration.

Will rolled his eyes. "Michael, as in my _ex _Michael. Remember? I was with him seven years, we bought this apartment together… Ring any bells?"

Jacks paused with the mug of coffee halfway to his mouth. Will felt a sudden and incredible rush of affection towards his friend - with his blue eyes widened in shock and his mouth slightly open, he looked amazingly... sweet, really.

"Will," Jack said after a moment, setting the mug back down on the table and continuing to stare, "That's..."

"I know," Will grinned. "I couldn't believe it either. I mean, after all these years can you imagine that he _still_ - "

"That's ridiculous!" Jack exclaimed. Will was completely caught off guard by this reaction. Jack had always seemed to like Michael well enough; as much as he could _ever _like someone who took Will's attention and monetary resources away from him, at any rate.

Will tried not to show his alarm. "Why is that ridiculous?" he asked, attempting to remain calm.

"Because..." Jack sighed and stood up, going over to the couch and sitting with his back to Will, as if he could no longer bear to look at him. "Because after everything he's done to you, all the lame excuses he made for just ditching you after all those years - how could you _ever _trust him again?"

Will sighed. "I suppose I can't expect you to understand," he said resignedly.

"And what is that supposed to mean?" Jack asked, turning and glaring at Will.

"It means that you never stick around in a relationship long enough for trust to become an issue," Will replied, his tone cold.

They stared at each other for a moment, eyes locked, both silently reeling from the sudden turn the conversation had taken.

Jack stood up abruptly and headed for the door. "Okay," he said, "You're right, Will. I mean, how would I know if it's just _that _easy to fall for someone again after you've been over them for years? It's not like I know _anything_ about being in love, is it?"

Will followed him out into the hallway that separated their apartments. "Jack, I'm sorry," he said, pleadingly. "I didn't mean to imply that you're a bad boyfriend – "

"Oh, please, like you've never told me that before."

"So what is the problem, then?"

Jack didn't reply as he pressed the elevator call button.

"Jack – "

"_Michael _is the problem, Will," Jack said, turning around to face his friend as the doors slid open, revealing the idling compartment. "God, I swear I'll never understand how you can want someone so much when all he ever does is hurt you."

"Why do you even care?" Will asked, almost shouting now. The door of apartment 9B opened slightly and Mr. Zamir's head appeared in the hallway.

Jack sighed and looked at the floor. "Because I hate the way he takes you for granted," he said quietly.

Will snorted. "As if you don't."

Jack looked up at Will with hurt and angry eyes which were brimming with tears. "_I_ don't," he replied simply. He stepped into the elevator and pressed the button for the lobby.

"Jack, where are you going?" Will asked, raising his voice slightly over the sound of the doors closing once more.

"Karen's," he replied. A second later the elevator began to descend.

Will stared at the closed doors for a second, wondering how breakfast with his best friend had turned into one of the most vicious arguments they'd ever engaged in.

"Fight with your boyfriend?" Mr. Zamir inquired from the doorway, startling Will out of his thoughts.

"He's not my boyfriend," Will replied defensively. "He never has been."

Mr. Zamir shrugged. "Could have fooled me," he said.

Will sighed. He started to go back to his apartment, then changed his mind and crossed the hall to Jack's. He opened the door of 9A and was for once pleased to see the cluttered mess that Jack was either disinclined to clean or simply unaware of. He mostly lived in his own head, anyway. Will sat down on the couch and started sifting through a pile of magazines, figuring he might as well tidy up a little. He knew he should probably call Michael and arrange to meet him somewhere, but right now he didn't really want anyone near him.

The main door was still open, but Will was too distracted to notice when Mr. Zamir picked up the newspaper that lay outside 9C's door and hurried back to his own apartment with it.


	4. Chapter 4

_**Disclaimer: **Still not mine... sadly._

Chapter Four

The phone was ringing. Will didn't open his eyes, just groped for the handset and answered.

"Hello, Jack?"

"No," Will muttered, "This is Will." He rolled over onto his stomach and found himself suddenly face-down on the hardwood floor, wondering where the other half of the bed had gone.

"Oh, well, that would explain why you weren't picking up the phone in your apartment," Joe continued cheerfully.

Will cracked one eye open and looked around. He was lying next to Jack's couch, amid a suspicious lack of clutter.

"What time is it?" Will groaned, sitting up.

"Eight-thirty," Joe replied.

_And I've spent the whole of my first day as Michael's boyfriend cleaning Jack's apartment? Why the hell would I – oh._

"Will, are you okay?" Joe asked after a few seconds of mutual silence.

"Yeah," Will replied. "Fell asleep on the couch, is all. Tiring night," he explained, unable to keep a small smile off of his face.

"Uh-huh," Joe said, not really listening. "Say, Will, do you and Jack want to come over to our place this weekend?"

Will opened his mouth with no idea of what he was going to say.

"'Cause," Joe went on without waiting for Will's reply, "Hannah's gone to camp this week for the first time and Larry's _really _freaking out about it, and I figured if the four of us got together for a couple of days it might take his mind off of the fact that our little girl's wellbeing is in the hands of a group of strangers."

"I'm sure she'll be fine," Will assured him.

"Well, _I'm _not really worried," Joe went on quickly. "I mean I am worried… Any parent would be worried… But I'm not _really _worried because I know that they're paid professionals and can be relied on to take good care of her. But you know what Larry's like."

"Yeah," Will agreed.

"So, anyway, if you guys could _please _just come over – just for the day, if you're too busy to stay the whole weekend…" Joe begged.

Will sighed. Making plans to go anywhere with Jack right now would undoubtedly be a bad idea. But Joe sounded truly desperate, and Larry probably needed the company if he intended to get through the week without killing his husband. Joe and Larry had been their best friends for nearly twenty years – surely that merited at least a temporary truce?

"We'll be there tomorrow," Will promised impulsively. "I'll have to ask Jack, but I'm sure he'll be fine with it." _I hope._

"Thanks, Will," Joe said, and hung up.

It wasn't until a couple of minutes later that Will realised he was probably expected to do something with Michael this weekend, it being their first as a happily re-united item. He sighed, knowing all that he could do was pray his boyfriend would be understanding. After all, Michael loved him – what was one weekend apart if they had the rest of their lives to be together?

For some reason the thought didn't reassure him the way it ought to have done.


	5. Chapter 5

_**Disclaimer: **They're not mine, I'm just borrowing. I'll give them back when I'm done... maybe._

Chapter Five

The drive to Joe and Larry's suburban home was awkwardly silent. Usually even a ten-minute trip in the car had Jack whining like a five-year-old for some reason or other, but this time he simply stared moodily out of the window.

"Jack?" Will asked, after they had been travelling for thirty minutes without a word. "What's wrong? Why won't you talk to me?"

"If you wanted someone who was obliged to talk to you then why didn't you bring Michael instead?" Jack countered, without looking away from the rapidly passing scenery of New York.

"Oh, not this again!" Will exclaimed. "Jack, I'm not having this argument with you twice! Once was too often!"

"I don't expect you to," Jack replied. "It's obvious that my reasoning can't penetrate that layer of denial within stubbornness within fat of yours, so…"

"Oh, excuse me, for a moment there I forgot that you're an expert at relationships, One Night Stan."

"Fine!" Jack retorted. "When we get there, ask Joe and Larry what _they _think. 'Cause they're gonna tell you – "

" – That as two people in a long-term relationship they can understand how sometimes even committed couples need to spend time apart – "

" – For seven years, without any contact," Jack finished.

Will was silent for a moment. "Just go back to not talking to me, okay?" he muttered eventually.

Jack obliged.

"We're here," Will announced some time later.

"I can see that," Jack replied irritably, unbuckling his seatbelt. He attempted several times to open the door, but to no avail. "Dammit!" he exclaimed.

Will had to smile in spite of himself. "Foiled by a kiddie lock," he said wryly as he leaned over Jack and opened the car door without difficulty. "Sometimes I swear I should be filing for adoption of you," he muttered. Instead of leaning away he tried to give Jack an affectionate kiss on the cheek, wanting to somehow make Jack understand that he really didn't want to fight with him over something as pointless as this.

At the exact same moment, Jack finally turned to face Will. "Oh, don't even – " he began, but before he could finish Will's lips were on his.

The accidental kiss went on for longer than it should have. Will knew _he _was the one who was meant to be finishing it, but something childish in him kept insisting that it was _Jack _who had turned around at the wrong moment and started the whole thing, and so it was _Jack's _rightful responsibility to end it.

Besides, kissing Jack was… nice. It felt weird to admit that to himself, but even though it was undoubtedly wrong it wasn't an unpleasant thing. He comforted himself with the fact that, after all the men Jack had been with in his life, it was really no surprise that he was a good kisser. People were free to admit that about there best friends, right? It wasn't as if Michael –

The front door slammed and Will and Jack broke apart hastily. From the affable grins on Joe and Larry's faces, it was apparent that they hadn't seen anything out of the ordinary.

"Hi, Will!" Joe said, smiling cheerfully and embracing him whilst Larry gave Jack the same warm greeting. Will kissed Joe briefly. _Not so different from what Jack and I were doing, _he thought, feeling reassured.

"Will," Larry muttered in his ear as they hugged, "Help me, Joe's driving me _mad_! Our first week alone together since our honeymoon and he's so nervous about Hannah he won't even – "

"Okay," Will said quickly, "That's really more Jack's area of expertise."

Larry nodded. "Right, right, sorry." He pulled away from Will. "But I mean – it's just girl scout camp. I know it's her first time away from home, and I'm worried about her, too, but is it too much to ask that – "

"Larry!" Will said. "_Please_. Talk to Jack about this."

"Yeah, I should probably do that," Larry agreed as the four men went into the house.

For fifteen minutes or so they went through the formalities – asking after Grace and Karen; talking about all the true loves Jack had been involved with since the last time they saw each other; looking at so many pictures of Hannah that even Will was starting to get a little bored by the time their doting friends had to admit there was nothing else they hadn't seen a dozen times before.

Finally, they got to the question Will had been dreading.

"So, Will," Larry smiled, blissfully unaware of the way Will's stomach dropped when he realised what was going to be asked, "How's your love life?"

"He's back with Michael," Jack said quickly, before Will got a chance to say anything. "Y'know, the same Michael who played him for an idiot for seven years before completely abandoning him within the space of two weeks… _That_ Michael."

"To be fair – " Will began.

"And so even though it's been over for the better part of a decade Will just decides to forgive and forget after one cheap meal and a night of bad sex," Jack finished.

"How did you know it was bad… It was _not_ bad sex!" Will exclaimed.

"Of course it was," Jack retorted, "_You _were there."

"For your information, Michael is – "

"And yet he tells me that this is not his kind of conversation," Larry muttered to Joe, smirking slightly.

"And as for me – first off, you have no experience to base - "

"Larry," Joe said loudly, in order to drown out the argument which was getting more graphic with every passing retort, "Why don't you and Jack go shopping or something? You know Jack, they built a new mall since the last time you visited," he added, giving Larry a slight pre-emptory shove when he didn't move.

Larry looked at him imploringly for a moment, until the latest innuendo-laden insult reached his ears. Getting up hastily and crossing the room, he grabbed Jack by the hand and threw his coat at him. "Come on, Jack," he trilled, too cheerfully, "They just opened a Banana Republic outlet and there's a sale on." He cast one last nervous glance at Will before taking his keys from the bowl by the hatstand and practically running out the front door, dragging Jack with him.


End file.
